89-91 Cambridge Road, Bellerive.
EX-PAT and former mainlander David Grant didn’t need to set foot inside Bellerive House to know it was the house for him and his wife Jacqueline.
That was 15 years ago, when David and Jacqueline came to Tasmania on a week-long visit to look for a property that would make the ideal bed and breakfast.
“We’d been living in Singapore and came back to Sydney in mid 2004,” he recalls.
“Opening a B&B was what we wanted to do and we were considering New Zealand or Tasmania, although we’d never been to Tassie before.”
A blast from the past.
A gorgeous tub.
Chic and contemporary.
Bellerive House came to their attention a mere 24 hours before their flight home and it was the sight of yachts heading out for twilight sailing from Bellerive Marina that David knew he was in the right place.
“We made an appointment to come and have a look and the agent left us there for several hours while we walked around,” he says.
“I fell in love with it straight away. It was a heart-over-head moment, I’d already bought it.”
That was December 2004 and the four-bedroom two-bathroom 1900s-built property had previously been used as a stately family home.
By Christmas 2005 the Grants had left Sydney, completed a comprehensive renovation and opened for business.
“It was slow to start off with,” David admits.
“But over the years we’ve met some wonderful people who have become friends and we’ve kept in touch. We’ve had lots of return guests over that time.”
Great place to work.
Period charms.
What’s for dinner?
The couple modernised the two existing bathrooms and added two more.
Contemporary touches complement the original Federation characteristics, which include a covered entry porch, intricate fretwork, leadlight windows, Celery top pine timber and refurbished fireplaces and mantles.
There are ornate cornice and ceiling roses, multiple living areas, two wood fires and panel heating for warmth. Heated towel rails and underfloor heating in the bathrooms provide extra comfort.
French doors from the white modern kitchen and hand laid slate floor open out to a paved alfresco dining area and formal gardens filled with hedges, lavender bushes and mature trees.
“It’s a lovely old house and we didn’t want to mess with it too much, it has such lovely bones,” David says.
So much to love.
Pretty from every angle.
Spacious sleeping quarters.
The view from the property overlooks Kangaroo Bay to Mt Wellington, an aspect that changes every day and one David has never tired of, pausing to take it in every time he walks down the central hall.
“It has very solid walls and is extremely quiet because the internal walls are all double brick,” he says.
“It was built by a craftsman rather than a builder and has wonderful sandstone foundations.”
Bellerive House has had numerous owners in its 120 years, including the Tasmanian Education Department, which divided it into four bedsits for teachers.
It’s also been used as two-storey duplexes and a family home.
While it’s successfully operated as a bed and breakfast for the past 15 years, David says it would just as easily become a spacious family home once again.
“It lends itself to all sorts of things, we’ve loved living here,” he says.
“There’s a wonderful sense of community and everything you need down the road.”
No.91 Cambridge Road, Bellerive is listed with Petrusma Property and will be sold by expressions of interest closing September 21.
It will be open for inspection both days this weekend at noon.
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